Ginger Lacey Hurricane Code Letters

[Guest]

I'm currently building/struggling with PCM's metal wing Hurricane, and I want to do it as Ginger Lacey's V7357, 510 Sqn 1940. The kit decal instructions only show a starboard side view, not port. The code letters on the starboard side read F-SD; my question is, what will they be on the port side, F-SD or SD-F? Thanks!

[Guest]

It should read the same from both sides so will be F-SD on both.

[Guest]

So, on the starboard side, the SD is towards the cockpit, but on the port side SD will be towards the tail?

[stona]

I'm sure 501 Sqn were one of those that interpreted the rules wrongly. The port side (from nose to tail) would be SD roundel F. In other words the squadron code (SD) is infront of the roundel on both sides.

I can't get to my books but I have two reputable profiles of two different aircraft on my laptop which show it this way.

Cheers

Steve

[Guest]

Thanks Steve - I thought that was the case

[stona]

Here's a good view of the port side of a 501 Sqn. Hurricane. It's being put on a train somewhere in France for shipping back to England. It made it and eventually ended up with the Fleet Air Arm.

This side is correctly marked,it's the starboard side that they got "wrong".

Cheers

Steve

[Guest]

I will just shut up............. What is the point of having an ID system that reads the wrong way round. Can you imagine what would happen if you reversed the rear numberplate on the car?

[stona]

Hi Graham,the situation was,shall we say, clarified before too long. During the first few months of the war there was a plethora of orders about every aspect of marking (don't forget,for example, that none of those Hurricanes would have had fin flashes when they left for France) and there was considerable confusion. I think that the powers of 501 Sqn. probably thought that the codes looked neater applied symmetrically and weren't really considering whether anyone could make head or tail of them!

Even the seemingly simple order to paint one half of the underside white and one black led to several versions.

Cheers

Steve

[Guest]

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This is the way it was shown on my P47 project, not sure if this helps but i think its the kind of thing you are asking.

Andy

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[Guest]

Just to put a spanner in the works, Ginger Lacey flew a lot of the aircraft in 501 Sqn, he also was credited with the shooting down of the He111 that bombed the Palace, on that day he was flying SD-M and the code letter was Hurricane P2793